


Competition

by IWriteSinsNotEssaysOk



Category: IT (2017)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Everyone fucking knows pretty much, Fluff, He's also a huge idiot, High School, Homophobia, M/M, Reddie, Richie is in denial, i don't know what the fuck i'm doing, jealous richie, no pennywise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-28
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-01-26 16:11:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 16,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12561188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IWriteSinsNotEssaysOk/pseuds/IWriteSinsNotEssaysOk
Summary: When a new boy moves from California and takes a liking to Eddie, Richie realizes that he may like Eddie more than a friend.....“I'm Eddie Kaspbrak, by the way.”Sam smiled, and Richie resisted the urge to smack it off his face.“Nice to meet you.”The blue eyed boy looked Eddie up and down.“Nice fanny pack.”Eddie blushed again, and Richie decided right then and there that Samuel “horse face” Jackson would have to go.





	1. Chapter 1

“Look, all I'm saying is that Stan would look adorable with his hair in pigtails,” Richie said, walking with his friends down the hallway to their first class.

“Oh my God, I've literally seen you for two minutes, and I'm already boiling with hatred.” Stan rolled his eyes.

Eddie snorted, and Richie grinned.

“Of course, you look adorable all the time, Eds.”

“Stuff it, trashmouth.” the shorter boy scoffed.

“D-d-did you hear w-w-e’re getting a new kid in school t-today?” Bill asked.

“It's about time we got another new kid.” Ben said happily.

“Yeah, I heard he's from California.” Beverly added as they walked into their first period.

“I don't trust anyone from somewhere where the sun shines too long,” Richie stated, sitting in his designated spot in the middle of the classroom with Ben to his left.

“For all you know, he'll be really cool, so be nice.” Eddie chided, sitting down next to him.

“Anything for you, my darlin.” Richie said with an awful southern twang that made Eddie groan in annoyance.

“So what do you say we go to the quarry after school?” Ben suggested. 

“It'll be good to get in a swim before it gets too cold,” Beverly agreed.

“S-s-sounds good t-to me.” Bill nodded.

“Alright, I didn't want to have to tell you fuckers this, but I've developed a pretty impressive six pack over the summer and I don't you guys to feel too bad when you see it.” Richie stretched out his arms dramatically.

“You look like you weigh one hundred pounds soaking wet.” Eddie retorted.

“Good to know you think about getting me wet.” Richie smirked.

“Oh my–” Eddie started to say, but he closed his mouth when their teacher cleared her throat to get everyone's attention.

“Good morning, class,” their English teacher, Mrs. Williams began. “As you've probably heard, we have a new student that will be joining us this year. Samuel, please introduce yourself.”

The entire class’s attention turned to the boy standing next to her.

Richie observed him with interest, looking him up and down.

He was tall. Probably as tall as Richie was. 

It was obvious he was from California because of his perfectly tan, sun kissed skin.

He had dark-almost black-brown hair that fell in waves just past the tips of his ears, and his blue eyes were visible even from where Richie was sitting.

“Hi, I'm Samuel Jackson, but you can call me Sam.” the boy said, flashing a smile that showed off his perfectly white teeth. “I'm from California and I'm really looking forward to getting to know all of you.”

Richie turned to Eddie to make a sex joke, but was caught off guard by the look on his best friend's face.

Eddie was looking at Sam in awe, like he'd never seen anyone so good looking in his life.

To add to the pot, Sam seemed to catch Eddie’s eye, and he winked at him, making a rosy blush color the shorter boy's cheeks.

Richie felt like someone had just killed a dog in front of him.

“He seems nice.” Ben mused.

“He looks like a fucking horse.” Richie said through gritted teeth.

“Why don't you take a seat in front of Mr. Tozier, Samuel.” Mrs. Williams suggested, pointing to the desk in front of Richie.

“Mr. Tozier?” Richie asked with a grin, trying to shake off the weighted feeling in his gut. “I thought we were closer than that, Mrs. W!”

The class laughed, and Mrs. Williams cracked a smile.

“Watch it, Richie.” she warned, turning to the whiteboard behind her to write down the lesson of the day.

Sam sat down in front of him before turning around with a smile.

“So you're Richie?” He extended his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Richie looked at his hand like it would bite him, but he felt Eddie’s eyes on him so he reached out and shook the hand heartily.

“Put ‘er there, my good fellow.” he greeted in a British accent.

He watched Sam’s eyes flitted towards Eddie in interest, and Richie impulsively squeezed his hand so hard that it made the new boy wince and look back at him.

His brown eyes met Sam’s blue ones in a silent discussion that had a very clear message:

Don't even think about it.

Richie released Sam’s hand with an easy going grin.

“Looking forward to staring at the back of your head all year.”

Sam chuckled.

“If you want, we can change seats.”

Richie grinned even wider.

“Nah, if we change seats I wouldn't be able to sit next to the love of my life every day. Isn't that right, Eds?”

“Don't call me that.” Eddie snapped before turning to Sam. “I'm Eddie Kaspbrak, by the way.”

Sam smiled, and Richie resisted the urge to smack it off his face.

“Nice to meet you.” 

The blue eyed boy looked Eddie up and down.

“Nice fanny pack.”

Eddie blushed again, and Richie decided right then and there that Samuel “horse face” Jackson would have to go.

 

.....

I hope you liked it! Should I continue? Please review!

Every since I watched IT and read the book, I've been shipping Reddie so hard that it hurts. It was only a matter of goddamn time before I gave in and wrote a fic :/

P.S. Sorry for typos. I'm a piece of shit.


	2. Chapter 2

When the bell rang to signal the end of first period, all of the students jumped up to gather their things, eager to leave class.

“God, the day’s not even halfway done and I'm ready to ditch school and become a prostitute.” Richie complained as he stuffed his English book in his backpack.

“Shut up, Richie, school isn't even hard for you.” Eddie retorted. “You've gotten the best marks in our grade since the beginning of middle school.”

Richie waggled his eyebrows, and draped himself across Eddie’s desk.

“Sounds like you could use a little relaxin’, sugar,” he drawled out each syllable. “For the right price, I can make it worth your while.”

“Beep beep, Richie! Shut the fuck up or I'll drown you when we go to the quarry.” Eddie warned.

“Where's the quarry?”

The group of friends turned to find Sam looking at them curiously.

“It's about ten blocks away from our school,” Stan answered. “We're going after school today.”

“You can come if you want.” Eddie added.

“Really?” Sam asked excitedly. “That'd be really cool. I don't know any places around here to hang out.”

Richie watched the exchange with a bitter taste in his mouth.

“So we'll see you there?” Eddie smiled shyly.

“Yeah, definitely.” Sam replied, returning his smile.

He turned around to leave just as Richie muttered “Neigh.” under his breath.

“Did you say something?” Sam asked, turning back around.

Richie opened his mouth to let him know exactly what he was thinking, but Eddie clapped a hand down hard on his shoulder to shut him up.

“He just said he'll see you after school.”

Sam smiled again and nodded, walking away.

“I hate him.” Richie announced when the new boy was gone.

“W-w-hat, why?” Bill asked. “He s-s-seems c-cool.”

“Well, for one, he looks like a goddamn horse. I don't trust anyone who looks like he sleeps standing up. Secondly, he obviously thinks that he's amazing. Which he is CLEARLY not.”

“Well, I like him.” Eddie shrugged as they all walked out into the hall.

“More like to like to look at him.” Beverly smirked, causing Eddie to blush.

“Yeah, so what?” Eddie looked away. “I'm allowed to think people are hot.”

When Eddie had come out as gay to the group, everyone had been surprised except for Beverly.

“I have a gay aunt,” she'd explained. “All the signs were there.”

Stan had the hardest time with it because of what he had been taught through his faith, but he'd eventually come around.

Richie was, for the first time in years, shocked to silence.

It had never occurred to him that his best friend since kindergarten would like boys instead of girls.

All of a sudden he was picturing Eddie being with someone who looked a lot like him, and that made him feel almost nauseous.

He'd brushed it off with a quick, “Does this mean I can't kiss you anymore?”, earning a punch in the shoulder from Eddie and a groan from the rest of his friends.

Of course, the truth remained a secret within the group.

Derry wasn't known for its open mindedness, and god forbid Sonia Kaspbrak learn that her son didn't want to grow up and marry a cookie cutter Christian girl from church.

“Damn Eds, I didn't know you were into beastiality,” Richie sighed.

“He doesn't look like a horse!” Eddie exclaimed. “And don't call me that!”

 

……………….

 

When school was over, the six friends grabbed their bikes and rode over to the quarry as fast as they could.

“It's s-s-so beautiful tod-d-day,” Bill commented as they dropped their bikes in a grassy area.

“Almost as beautiful as Eddie’s mom last night–”

“Beep beep, Richie!” Eddie glared.

The teens took their clothes off until they were all standing in their underwear.

“So much for that six pack you were bragging about, huh?” Stan quipped.

“I'm sucking in,” Richie was quick to retort. “Didn't want to make you feel inferior.”

“I don't think that's how it works…” Ben started to say before he trailed off when a different bike pulled up.

“Hey, guys!” Sam greeted. “Glad I didn't miss the jump in.”

“Yeah, and it's kind of hot, so if you could hurry up, that'd be great.” Richie said, earning a glare from Eddie.

“Oh! Right…” Sam laughed.

Good God, Richie wished he would have kept his fucking mouth shut, because when Sam started taking off his clothes, everything went to shit.

First of all, he was ripped.

He had defined biceps, a toned chest, and an actual fucking six pack.

They were sophomores in high school, for Christ’s sake! Why the hell would he have a six pack?

Second of all, Richie looked over at Eddie and almost threw up.

His best friend was staring at Sam like he had discovered the holy grail.

In fact, all of Richie’s friends were looking at Sam in awe.

As soon as Sam finished taking off his pants, they all looked away like they'd get burned if they looked any further.

“Alright, shall we?” Sam suggested, walking over to the cliff’s edge.

They all cautiously looked down into the dark blue water.

“Who's going first, fuckers?” Richie asked, glancing at Eddie.

Except Eddie wasn't looking back at him like he usually would be.

He was looking at Sam, who was smiling warmly.

Sam held out his hand to the shorter boy.

“Wanna jump together?”

Eddie was blushing bright red, and just as he was about to accept the hand, something in Richie snapped, and Richie threw his entire boy into Sam, sending both of them off the cliff.

“FUCK!” he yelled before he hit the water.

When he emerged from the lake, he tried to rationalize why the hell he had just tackled someone off a cliff.

He was jerked out of his thoughts by a light push on his shoulder.

“What the hell was that?” Sam questioned.

“Well, you see the thing is, Samuel–”

“Sam.”

“–Is that I do that to everyone new who comes to the quarry.” Richie lied through his teeth. “Congrats. You're officially a citizen of Derry.”

Sam looked at him for a moment before breaking out into a hearty laugh.

“You guys are hilarious.” he chuckled.

“Yeah, we're real knee slappers,” Richie gritted his teeth before looking up at his friends.

“Come on in, Eds. I'm all wet and ready for you!”

“Beep beep, Richie! And stop calling me Eds!”

One by one, Beverly, Bill, Eddie, Ben, and Stan all jumped into the water.

They immediately started a game of chicken with Eddie of Richie’s shoulders and Bill on Sam's.

It was no surprise to anyone when Bill overpowered Eddie, sending the smaller boy tumbling down.

Richie watched as Eddie up from the water with a squawk that quickly turned into a laugh.

Richie loved to watch Eddie laugh.

His brown eyes would sparkle and his pink lips would part as they let out such a melodic sound that it would make anyone's day better.

Richie wished he could make Eddie look like that forever.

They played for a couple of hours before realizing that it was getting late and they needed to head home.

“S-s-see you guys t-t-tomorrow!” Bill called as he rode away.

“Bye,” Stan said, following Bill.

Ben and Beverly took their leave as well, Ben offering to ride with Beverly to her house.

That left Eddie, Richie, and Sam.

“Well, I have to get going before my mom sends a search party.” Eddie sighed. “Bye, Richie.”

He looked over at Sam with a shy smile.

“Bye, Sam.”

The two boys watched him get on his bike and pedal away, and when he was out of earshot, Sam turned to Richie.

“Can I ask you a question, Richie? One guy to another?”

Richie but back a remark about horses, and shrugged.

“Sure thing, my guy, what's up?”

“Do you like Eddie?

Richie’s eyes widened slightly before settling into a lazy grin.

“Sure do. Me and Eds eloped in the year of 1973. Ah, it was a warm summer day with–”

“You know what I mean.” Sam cut him off with a laugh. “Do you like him romantically?”

Richie raised an eyebrow, ignoring the gnawing in his stomach like a pack of wolves fighting over an animal carcass.

“Why? You interested?”

“That depends on your answer.”

Richie opened his mouth but nothing came out.

Which was a BIG FUCKING DEAL.

Richie Trashmouth Tozier never lost his words.

So at that very moment, he didn't know he was having trouble answering such a simple question.

Did he like girls? Yes. Did he like boys? No. Did he like Eddie?

Richie felt a weight settle in his gut like an atomic bomb.

“Nope. I don't like dudes.” he found himself having to force the words out. “Eds is just my best friend.”

Sam shook his head with a chuckle.

“That's a shame.”

He looked up at Richie, surprising the bespectacled boy with the cold look in his blue eyes.

“I would have enjoyed stealing him from you.”

Richie's mouth dropped open in shock before his eyes narrowed.

“The fuck did you just say, Seabiscuit?”

Sam grinned.

“See you around, Richie.”

With that, he walked over to his bike, got on, and pedaled away.

Richie stood by himself in shock for a moment before clenching his jaw.

“Game fucking on.”

 

………..

 

Oh shit.

Thank you so much for all the support! 

Please review!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basically this whole story was based off a prompt by tumblr user losvcr, so thank you to her. Go follow her!

“He’s a fucking psychopath!”

“Woah, calm down, Richie,” Beverly held up her hands. “Start from the beginning and tell me what happened.”

After the incident with Sam, Richie had rode to Beverly’s house as fast as he could.

He loved all his friends, but for some reason it was always Beverly who he would spill his grievances to.

Well, Beverly and Eddie…

“Ok, so basically as soon as Eddie left, Clydesdale turns to me and says that he was going to steal Eddie away from me if I liked him! What the buck mothering fuck does that mean!?”

“Well, do you?”

“Huh?”

Beverly looked at him quizzically.

“Do you like Eddie as more than a friend?”

“HA! No!” Richie snorted, ignoring the crack in his voice. “I’ve got so many girls begging me to get inside them that I could never entertain the thought of liking a guy.”

“But Eddie’s not just a guy,” Beverly pointed out.

Richie paused before shaking his head.

“The point is that we can’t let that sick fuck hurt Eddie.”

“Ok, don’t take this the wrong way, but do you think you might be overreacting?” Beverly questioned. “I’m pretty good at reading people, and Sam has given no indication to be a–“

“Soul sucking leech.”

“–That.”

“Ummm, were you listening to what I just said?” Richie threw his hands up in exasperation. “I know what I heard and saw.”

Beverly sighed.

“Ok, what’s the plan?”

“I’m working on that,” Richie admitted. 

“You just gave me that whole speech and you don’t have a plan!?” Beverly asked incredulously.

“I’m not perfect, you know!” Richie shot back. “But I know I’m damn better than that horsefuck.”

He paused.

“That’s it! I’ll be better than him at every game he tries to pull. I’ll show Eddie that I’m ten times the man he is.”

“Wow. Inspired.” Beverly said dryly.

“I know, right?”

 

…………………

 

The next day, Richie woke up earlier than usual.

Why? Because Eddie wakes up early.

The bespectacled boy ran a comb through his hair, pulled on some jean shorts, and slipped on his blue Hawaiian shirt that Eddie had called “the least hideous”.

He grabbed his backpack as he ran downstairs, not bothering to look for anything to eat for breakfast because he knew that his mom hadn’t gone grocery shopping in weeks.

Richie took a moment to check on his mother, who was sacked out on the couch with a bottle of jack in her hand.

He rolled his eyes before throwing open the door and jumping on his bike, taking off towards the Kaspbrak’s house.

When he arrived, he threw his bike on the ground, and danced up the front porch steps.

He gave three sharp knocks on the hard oak door and waited.

A few seconds later, the door opened a crack to show a very tired looking Sonia Kaspbrak.

“What’s up, Mrs. K!” Richie grinned. “You’re looking especially prim today!”

“What do you want, Richard?” Sonia said blandly.

“I’m just here to pick up my dear Edward for school,” Richie replied sunnily.

Sonia stared at you him with narrowed eyes.

“You know you’re a bad influence on my boy. If I had my way, you’d never touch him again.”

It took everything Richie had to keep his smile on his face and not tell Mrs. Kaspbrak exactly what he could do with his “touches”. 

“Did you do something new with your hair? It looks marvelous.”

Sonia opened her mouth to reply, but the door was pushed all the way open to reveal Eddie standing there with his backpack.

“Richie?” he asked in confusion. “What are you doing here?”

“Why I’m here to walk you to school, Darlin,” Richie grinned.

Eddie looked up at his mother, who was still staring Richie down, and a smile tugged at his lips.

“Ok, let’s go.”

Eddie leaned up on the very tips of his toes to kiss his mother on the cheek.

“Bye, mommy.”

He walked past her to Richie, and the bespectacled boy saw him wince slightly when Sonia yelled, “Be safe, baby! I put some extra bandaids in your backpack!”

The two boys picked up their bikes and mounted them before they began their trip towards their school.

“You never wake up this early,” Eddie said as they rounded a corner. “Why did you come to my house?”

“Can’t a man come see his best friend for no other reason than because he feels like it?” 

“You’re not a man.” Eddie rolled his eyes.

“That’s not what your mom said last night.”

“My mom can’t stand you!”

“Well, I am surprised she was still able to stand this morning after the way we–“

Eddie growled, and pedaled faster to ride away from Richie.

Richie easily caught up to him with a laugh, and they rode together in a comfortable silence.

“What do you think about Sam?”

Richie’s bike shook in his hands at the sound of the new boy’s name.

“Why?” Richie asked, trying to keep the scathing hatred out of his voice.

“No, I mean what do you think about Sam… for me?” Eddie continued in a quiet voice.

Richie almost crashed his fucking bike by veering in front of Eddie to bring them both to a stop.

“Don’t.” he said, his tone stone cold serious for once.

“Don’t what?” Eddie questioned.

“Don’t like him.” Richie said. “He’s not good for you.”

Eddie hesitated before looking Richie in the eyes.

“Then who do you think is good for me?”

Richie felt his heartbeat speed up and he swallowed.

The words were on the top of his tongue, but he couldn’t figure out what they actually were.

“Well… I guess you’ll just know when you meet them,” he finally said. 

“Like a soulmate?” Eddie asked.

“Yeah.” Richie nodded.

The boys continued to stare at each other for what felt like years before Richie smirked.

“Take me and your mom, for example. When we met, sparks flew and–“

“I hate you so much.” Eddie rolled his eyes, riding past him.

Richie watched him glide away with a weighted feeling in his stomach like he was missing something important.

“Wait up, Eds!” he called, chasing after the shorter boy. 

“Don’t fucking call me that!”

 

…………………

 

[Lunch]

“So this is the lunch room where taste buds go to die!” Richie announced to Mike as the seven friends made their way to their designated lunch table. “So either bring your own lunch or tell us what your preferred funeral arrangements will be.”

Mike had finally convinced his grandfather to let him come to public school, and the Losers Club were overjoyed.

“I see no difference between this and the farm,” Mike observed, sitting down beside Ben.

They all had their specific spots.

Richie would sit in the center of the left side, with Bill to his right and Eddie to his left at the end of the table where he swore it was the cleanest.

Stan sat dead across from Bill, next to Beverly and Ben, with mike now on the end.

“S-s-so Mike, we all have s-s-science n-next,” Bill said. “W-w-well, ev-v-veryone except R-r–richie and Eddie.”

“We both have advanced science,” Eddie added.

“How the hell does Trashmouth have advanced science?” Mike questioned.

“Hey, I resent that!” Richie squawked.

“It’s a worldwide mystery, but he actually has the highest grades in our whole class.” Stan sighed.

“The secret is all the late night studying I do with Eddie’s mom.“

“Shut the fuck up, Richie!” Eddie hissed. “Why are being especially annoying today?”

“Aw babe, don’t be mad at me!” Richie pouted, squeezing his best friend’s cheeks. “You’re just so cute!”

“Stop it!” Eddie swatted at his hands.

“Cute, cute, cu–“

“Hi, guys.”

Everyone turned to see Sam standing with his lunch tray in his hands with an amused smile.

“Hi, Sam.” Eddie replied, finally managing to push Richie’s hands away. “What’s up?”

Sam cleared his throat.

“Well, I kind of don’t have anywhere to sit for lunch and I was wondering–“

“No room.” Richie said loudly. 

“Richie!” Stan glared.

“Sorry to saddle you with the truth, old sport, but our lunch table is full-o-mundo. You’ll have to find somewhere else to graze.”

“H-h-he’s just joking,” Bill tried to say. “W-w-we’ll just scoot d-down one s-s-seat.

“You can sit by me.” Eddie offered.

“Actually, I’d prefer old Sammy to park his ass by me!” Richie chuckled heartily. “It’ll be good to finally have someone to talk to as good looking as me for one day!”

The “one day” hung in the air as a warning.

Sam laughed, and sat down in the space made for him between Bill and Richie.

“Do you really think I’m good looking?”

“Well, sure!” Richie grinned broadly. “I’d even go as far to say that you’re the prettiest pony at the state fair!”

Ben choked on a grape his was eating, and Beverly looked away to hide her laughter.

Sam returned his smile.

“You’re one funny guy, Richie.”

“Thanks,” Richie said. “Eddie sure thinks so.”

“Your jokes are hideous, Trashmouth.” Eddie said dryly.

“You all seem close,” Sam chuckled. “How long have you guys been friends?”

“Richie, Bill, Eddie, and I have been friends before we could walk,” Stan said, breaking into the conversation. “We met Bev, Mike, and Ben in the summer before freshman year.”

Richie watched Sam talk to his group with disgust.

What he wouldn’t give to have the power to make people explode…

He hadn’t realized he’d been silent for almost the whole lunch until the bell rang to signal it was time to go to the next class.

“You ok, Richie?” Ben whispered.

“Always, my guy.” Richie gave him finger guns, hopping up from the lunch table. “Ready to go, Eds?

“Actually, Sam was gonna walk me to class,” Eddie said shyly.

“HA! You’re so funny! Let’s go, darling.” Richie said, taking the shorter boy’s arm.

Sam laughed.

“Actually, I really was going to walk him to class–“

“WELL, NOT ANYMORE, RAINBOW DASH!” Richie yelled, dragging Eddie away.

“Richie, what the hell?” Eddie exclaimed when they were out of earshot. “Why are you acting so weird?”

“I’m not acting weird,” Richie shrugged.

“Yes, you are.” Eddie frowned. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Richie sighed.

“Well, if you MUST know, I’m desperately in love with you and I can’t stand the thought of anyone else touching your perfect doll like body.”

Eddie stared at him with some unidentifiable emotion in his eyes before he snorted.

“Whatever, let’s go to class.”

He took Richie’s hand to help them weave through the throng of students, and as they were walking, Richie felt those words that had been on the tip of his tongue flare up again.

But what had he said that would make it feel… 

Richie’s eyes widened.

oh.

OH.

OH.

Suddenly, Eddie’s hand felt like it was one hundred degrees, and Richie’s heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest.

His head was hurting and his throat was stinging.

Was he dying? God, he hoped so.

Otherwise, he’d have to live with the fact that he was in fucking love with his best fucking friend.

......

PLEASE COMMENT! It makes me write faster :)


	4. Chapter 4

Richie couldn’t focus for the rest of the day.

But, if you want to get technical, he did have a pretty damn good excuse.

Realizing that you’re in love with your best friend was enough to distract anyone.

Especially if your best friend was the same fucking gender as you.

Richie shook his head, making his bottle cap glasses fall off his face and onto his desk.

No. NO. This was just because of Horsefuck McGee. He wasn’t in love with Eddie! He was just feeling protective of him! That had to be it, right?

“Mr. Tozier!”

Richie’s head snapped up to find his history teacher, Mr. England, looking at him with amusement.

“Would you be so kind to answer the question on the board or would you prefer to continue consuming your pencil?”

Richie looked down, and sure enough, the number two pencil in his right hand had been basically gnawed down to the lead.

“Well, the answer to the question is 1937,” he quickly glanced at the board. “And may I just say that chewing on pencils has been recently proven to increase productivity–“

“That will be all, Mr. Tozier.” Mr. England said dryly, walking back up to the front of the classroom.

“What’s up, man?” Mike nudged him from behind. “You’re acting weird.”

“Am not.” Richie replied indignantly.

The dark skinned boy sighed, but let it go.

Richie glanced to his left at Eddie, who was looking at him with a worried expression.

However, the second their eyes met, Eddie sent him a reassuring grin that made Richie feel like someone had hit him in the gut with a frying pan.

“Alright, the homework is on pages one through three,” Mr. England said. “I’ve prepared worksheets for you. Would anyone like to volunteer to pass them out?”

“I will.” a smooth voice offered.

Richie’s eyes narrowed as Sam walked up to the front of the classroom and to their teacher.

“Thank you, Samuel. I can already see you’re going to be a pleasure to have in class this year.” Mr. England smiled.

Sam smiled back, showing his perfectly white teeth.

“Thanks, Mr. England. I think you’re going to be a great teacher.”

“Suck up.” Richie growled.

Sam took the papers, and began walking down the rows of students, handing everyone a worksheet.

The girls in the class giggled as he passed.

Everyone, teachers and students alike, seemed to be under the spell of Trigger, and it made Richie nauseous.

When Sam got to Eddie, he extended a paper to him with easygoing grin.

Eddie reached out to take the sheet with a slight blush, and when he got a hold of it, their fingers brushed.

The pencil in Richie’s hand snapped.

Sam and Eddie’s heads turned to look at him, and a smirk threatened to appear on the taller boy’s face.

“You ok, Richie?”

Richie gave a bright grin.

“I should be asking you that. You sound a little hoarse.”

Sam’s blue eyes flashed before he let out a chuckle.

“Nah, I’m ok.”

He held out a paper to Richie, who didn’t even give it a glance.

The stared at each other for several seconds before Sam put it down on his desk, making Richie smirk victoriously.

Sam moved on to give everyone else papers, and Eddie gave Richie his best “What the fuck?” face.

Richie just blew a kiss at him that made the shorter boy scoff.

When the last bell rang, everyone in class scrambled to pack up their things.

“You g-g-guys want to g-go to the q-q-q-quarry again?” Bill asked, putting his textbook in his backpack.

“I’ve got to help my grandpa after school,” Mike said regretfully.

“I’m helping my dad at the temple tonight,” Stan added.

“I’m pulling an all nighter studying for a test I missed last week,” Ben jumped in.

“Well, it looks like it’s just gonna be Bev, Big Bill, ‘ol Eddie Spaghetti, and my perfect ass.” Richie announced.

“Don’t call me that, and your ass is not…” Eddie trailed off, realizing too late that he’d walked into a trap.

“My ass isn’t what, Eds?” Richie grinned wolfishly.

“Fuck off, Trashmouth.” Eddie rolled his eyes.

“Oh s-s-shit, I f-f-forgot that’s it’s the n-n-night me and my d-dad plan my m-m-mom’s birthday p-p-party…” Bill said. “S-s-sorry, guys.”

“Don’t sweat it, Billiam. We’ll be ok without you for a couple hours.” Richie clapped Bill on the shoulder.

The seven friends walked out of their history class and into the hallway.

“So what do you guys want to do?” Beverly asked as they pushed their way through the throngs of students.

“We could go see a movie at the Aladdin?” Eddie offered.

“Sounds good to me.” Richie agreed. “Back to the Future Part Two is playing. We should catch that.”

The group of high schoolers made their way out of the school’s main entrance and to where their bikes were parked. 

“Marty McFly better–“

“Eddie?”

The friends turned to find Sam jogging towards them.

“Oh good, I caught you before you left,” the black haired boy said. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Actually, we’re in quite a rush, my boy,” Richie said in a terrible British accent. “You’ll have to rein in your question until–”

“Richie, chill,” Eddie said with a pointed look before turning back to Sam. “What do you need to talk to me about?”

Sam’s blue eyes flitted up to look at Richie for a moment, and Richie knew exactly what the fuck he was going to talk to him about.

Sam rubbed the back of his neck in a nervous manner.

“I was hoping maybe we could talk in private?”

“Eds, we have a movie to catch, remember?” Richie reminded Eddie with a slight edge to his voice.

“It’s ok, I’ll just be a few minutes.” Eddie said.

The group looked on as Sam led Eddie over to where they were standing under a tree and out of earshot.

Richie watched them talk, and when Sam said something that made Eddie laugh, a lump the size of Texas settled in his throat.

He was the only one who could put a smile like that on Eddie’s face.

He was so focused on the two boys that he didn’t notice that he was gripping the handles of his bike so hard that the bike was shaking.

It was only when Stan placed his hand on top of Richie’s that Richie stopped quivering.

The bespectacled boy looked around at his friend’s faces and found that they all had the same expression.

Pity.

Richie wrenched himself away from Stan, hopping on his bike.

“Well slap me on the ass and call me Sally, I just remembered that I have a pressing matter to attend to,” he said to Beverly with a grin. “I’ll have to catch that movie on a later day, m’lady.”

With that, he pedaled away from his friends, fighting the urge to glance back at Eddie one last time.

 

………………..

 

I live for the angst.

Please review so I write faster :)


	5. Chapter 5

Richie didn’t know how long he rode his bike around. 

It wasn’t like his parents would care if he came home that night or two weeks from now.

He finally ended up at the barrens, dropping his bike onto the rock filled soil, and walking to the edge of the stream.

Richie bit his lip and adjusted his glasses.

It was such a simple question.

Was he in love with Eddie? Yes or no?

Except for the fact that it wasn’t fucking simple at all.

He paced back and forth, scrubbing his hands through his dark curls.

Maybe it wasn’t that he was IN love with Eddie as much as it was that he wanted Eddie to be with someone who deserved him.

Not someone like Sam “Horsefuck” Jackson.

On the other hand, Richie couldn’t picture a single person, real or imaginary, that would be worthy of Eddie.

He wanted Eddie to be with someone who would love him unconditionally every single second of every day until they died.

Someone like–

“Goddamnit!” he exclaimed, a sudden bout of anger flowing through him.

He reached down and picked up the first thing beside him– a large stick – and chucked it as far as he could.

The bespectacled boy tried to kick a rock, but somehow managed to kick himself in the leg instead.

“Motherfucker!” he cursed.

The urge for violence faded, and Richie sat down beside the stream, wrapping his arms around his knees.

Why the hell did his life have to get so complicated?

“Richie, you ok? I’ve been looking for you.”

The bespectacled boy was jerked out of his thoughts by a hand on his shoulder.

He glanced up to find Beverly looking at him with one eyebrow raised.

“Psh, of course I’m ok,” Richie stretched and puffed out his chest dramatically. “I’m the epitome of ok. There’s never been a more ok young lad in these here parts in a millennium–“

“You figured it out, huh?” Beverly chuckled, sitting down next to him.

“Figured what out?” Richie asked, nudging a rock with his foot.

“You’re in lo–“

“YOU KNOW,” Richie cut her off. “I find that if you just ignore things, they tend to go away. Let’s try out that strategy and then we can regroup later.”

Beverly sighed.

“You can’t ignore something like this, Richie. It’ll just get stronger.”

“Ok, but let’s try it out and see how it goes.” Richie shrugged.

“You are so full of shit.” Beverly laughed.

“That’s hurtful. I’m hurt by that statement.”

 

………………

 

Beverly and Richie talked about nothing and everything until the sun started to hang low in the sky.

“I’ve gotta go,” Beverly said, standing up. “My aunt will be waiting for me.”

Richie nodded, standing up with her.

“Yeah, I better go home too.”

Beverly ruffled his hair with a smile.

“You know you can talk to me about anything, right?”

Richie smirked, moving to unbutton his pants.

“Great, because there’s this thing I want some advice on. It might be a mole–“

“Oh my god, forget it!” Beverly shouted, trying to hide her laughter.

She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek before turning and heading back to her bike.

Richie watched her ride away stoically.

If he had fallen for someone like Beverly then his life would be so much easier.

He sighed, picking up and bike and hopping on.

Richie rode in silence, breathing in the smell of the last month of summer.

When he got home, he dropped his bike on his front lawn and made his way up to the door.

He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he barely had time to process the bottle that was hurdled at his face the second he walked in.

“WENTWORTH!” his mother, Maggie screeched. “Where the FUCK have you been!?”

“Mom, it’s me,” Richie sighed. “Dad’s not here.”

Maggie paused, walking up to Richie slowly.

“Richard?” she asked softly, reaching out to touch his face.

Richie resisted the urge to move away once the smell of alcohol assaulted his nose.

“Yeah, mom. It’s me.”

Maggie continued to stroke his face until she laid her head on his shoulder.

“Why won’t he come home to me?” she whispered, her shoulders starting to shake.

“You know how much he works,” Richie said quietly. “Let’s get you laid back down.”

He led his mother back to the couch, where she fell onto the cushions in a lump.

He covered her up with a blanket, and watched as she almost immediately fell asleep.

Richie pressed his lips together in a straight line as he gazed down at her.

When she was sleeping, she looked normal. 

Sometimes, if he looked at her long enough, he could start to imagine what life would be like with two normal parents.

Parents who supported him.

Parents who offered to help him with his homework, and who made him lunch for school, and who took him to the park to play catch.

Parents who gave a fuck about him.

The sound of the house phone ringing broke him out of his trance, and he rushed over to pick it up before it woke his mom.

“This is Agent Tozier from the FBI speaking, how may I help you?” he answered in a gruff voice.

“Hey Richie,” Eddie’s voice sounded through the landline.

“What’s up, Eddie Spaghetti?”

“Don’t call me that. I have to talk to you. Can you come over?”

Richie inhaled like he was fighting back tears.

“Are you going to break up with me?”

“Oh my god,” Eddie groaned. “I’ll see you in fifteen minutes.”

“Wait Eds, before you go…”

“What?”

Richie smirked.

“What are you wearing?”

His question was met with the dial tone.

 

……………..

 

True to Eddie’s request, Richie made it to the Kaspbrak house in fifteen minutes.

The bespectacled boy laid his bike down quietly on the grass, and walked over to the side of the house where Eddie’s room was.

Looking down up the ground, Richie picked up a cluster of acorns, rolling them in his hand.

He selected the largest of the bunch and launched it at Eddie’s window.

It hit the panes with a soft thump.

It took a moment, but a few moments later, a light flickered on in Eddie’s room.

Richie watched as the window was pushed up and Eddie’s head peered out into the dark.

“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down that gorgeous fucking hair!” Richie called out.

“Are you just going to stand there with your dick in your hand or are you going to get up here?” Eddie asked with a ghost of a smile.

“Be there in a second, darling,” Richie grinned.

The taller boy took a running start, grabbing a branch on the tree beside Eddie’s house, and swinging himself up onto it.

He continued climbing up until he was level with roof of the house.

Carefully stepping onto the slanted paneling, he edged himself across until he was able to jump through Eddie’s window.

Richie flashed his best friend his best grin.

“Miss me, Eds?”

Eddie rolled his eyes.

“Don’t call me that. Sit your ass down, I have to ask you something.”

“Look babe,” Richie jumped down onto Eddie’s bed. “You’re cute ‘n all, but I’m not ready for marriage.”

Richie watched what looked like a blush color Eddie’s cheeks, but the shorter boy turned away before he could inspect more, and he excused it as a trick of the lights.

“So why’d you call me here?” he asked, patting the bed to tell Eddie to sit down beside him.

Eddie complied, and stared at Richie in a way that made what could only described as butterflies flutter in his stomach.

“Sam asked me out today.”

Just like that, a bucket of stone cold ball sweat was poured over Richie’s head.

“Oh, really?” Richie couldn’t help but clench his jaw slightly. “Animals get smarter every year.”

“I told him I’d give him an answer tomorrow,” Eddie said, ignoring Richie’s jab.

“You’re going to turn his ass down, right?” Richie pushed slightly.

Eddie shrugged.

“That depends.”

“On what? How much hay Mike can get you beforehand?”

“It depends on if you can give me a reason why I shouldn’t go out with him.”

Richie’s eyes widened slightly.

His brain began screamed reasons why Seabiscuit was bad for Eddie, but somehow all that came out of his mouth was, “Pardon?”

Eddie sighed.

“Richie, I’m sixteen years old. I’ve never dated anyone before. I haven’t even had my first kiss. Now someone’s come along who wants to date me, and I like him quite a bit. You get that, right?”

Richie gave a small nod, and he found himself weighing his words extremely carefully.

“Eddie, I get that you’re ready to experience having an actual relationship, but you’ve got to trust me– this guy’s not good for you.”

“Wow,” Eddie raised an eyebrow. “You used my real name and gave a real answer.”

Richie his his wariness behind a chuckle.

“I’m full of surprises, but I’m serious– pick someone else.”

“Well, if I shouldn’t be with Sam, then who should I be with?” Eddie questioned.

Richie could’ve swore Eddie scooted closer to him, and his heart rate shot up to life threatening speeds.

“Oh, you know,” he struggled to say. “I’m sure there’s some poor guy crushing on you.”

‘Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!’ his mind screeched.

Richie’s eyes flitted to Eddie’s lips, and he didn’t realize he was leaning in slightly until his face was only inches away from Eddie’s.

“Any names?” Eddie asked, his breath tickling Richie’s face.

Richie swallowed.

He found himself reaching up to tuck a strand of hair back behind Eddie’s ear.

His hand stayed there, cupping Eddie’s face.

“Richie?” the shorter boy breathed.

Richie gazed into his best friend’s brown eyes in awe.

“Eddie, I…” he started to say.

“EDWARD!”

The sudden noise sent Richie careening backwards and off the bed.

“Yes, mom?” Eddie called back, his voice slightly hoarse.

“I hear voices. Is there someone in your room?” Sonia’s shrill tone pounding through Richie’s head.

Richie couldn’t believe what had just taken place.

What had ALMOST taken place.

He felt like he was going to die.

“It’s just my radio, mom.” Eddie assured his mother. “I’ll turn it off.”

“Alright, baby,” Sonia said. “You need to get your full nine hours or you’ll fall ill!”

“I know! Goodnight, mommy!”

Eddie turned back to Richie to find him staring at him with wide eyes.

“What were you saying before?” Eddie asked.

“Oh, you know, the ‘ol bullshit!” Richie laughed somewhat hysterically, scrambling to get off the floor. “Don’t date my best friend and all that jazz!”

If Richie wasn’t trying so hard to appear normal, he would’ve noticed Eddie’s frown.

“Got it,” Eddie said. “So it’s ok if I date Sam?”

“Well, if that’s what you want, I guess I can’t stop you!” Richie answered, every word on his tongue feeling like sandpaper.

“Richie, are you ok?” 

“Never been better, darling!” Richie exclaimed, running straight into a wall while trying to get out the window.

He fell to floor with a thud, but when Eddie ran over to help him, he was was already out the window and onto the roof.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Eds.” Richie said. “Sweet dreams!”

Desperate to get as far away from the reason his chest was constricting so tightly, he ran across the roof, throwing caution to the wind.

“Richie, be careful!” Eddie hissed.

“Don’t worry ‘bout me, baby doll! My body is impervious to pain!” Richie assured Eddie at the exact moment he lost his grip on the tree branch he was on and plummeted to the ground.

“Fuck!” he shouted when his feet hit the grass a little harder than they should have.

“Richie!” Eddie exclaimed, but Richie was already on his bike and riding away from the Kaspbrak house at speeds he’d never reached before.

He made it to his house in no time, and he threw his bike to the ground, running up to his front door.

Richie quietly turned the knob and the door opened– shocker his mom hadn’t found time between bottles to lock it.

He slipped inside, shut and locked the door, and rushed up to his room.

Once he was inside, he closed his bedroom door and fell face first onto his bed.

His bed didn’t smell as good as Eddie’s.

His bed smelled like loneliness and was stained from the food he’d dropped on it from all the times he’d had to eat in his room to avoid his parent’s wrath.

Eddie’s bed smelled like happiness, and sunshine, and reminded him of what a home should be.

Turning to the side, he hugged his pillow to his chest.

Why did he feel like he had just let part of his life slip away?

 

………………..

 

I’m screaming!

Please review so I write faster :)


	6. Chapter 6

Richie woke up on his cold hardwood floor with his bedsheets surrounding him like a cocoon. 

The sound of his alarm pounded through his head, and he groaned in annoyance.

He really shouldn’t have been surprised that he’d fallen off his bed in the middle of the night.

After he’d come home from Eddie’s, he’d tossed and turned for hours before falling into a restless sleep.

Richie stared at the ceiling in silence.

Last night, he and Eddie had almost… done absolutely nothing.

That’s right. Nothing.

Richie stumbled up from the floor and hit the off button on his alarm clock so hard that it cracked.

He rubbed his eyes, doing his best to stretch out his aching back as he walked into his bathroom.

When he looked in the mirror, he literally winced.

His dark hair looked like it survived a nuclear blast and there were the makings of dark circles under his eyes that made him looking like a fucking raccoon.

“Truly a look the descibes how this day is going to go.” he grumbled, turning on his shower with a slightly more aggressive twist than usual. 

 

……………….

 

When Richie arrived at school, he’d worked himself into his normal mindset.

Like always, he got there at the same time as the rest of the Losers, and he bounded over to them.

He immediately noticed Eddie’s absence. 

“What’s up, fuckers?” he shouted, jumping on Stan’s shoulders.

Stan growled, swatting at him until he fell off.

“Before we were so rudely interrupted, we were discussing how I’m going bird watching today,” the Jewish boy said sharply.

Richie slumped over before shocking back up. 

“Oh sorry, I just fell asleep. What were you saying?”

Stan opened his mouth to reply, but when he looked at Richie full on, he paused.

“You look terrible.”

“Golly gee, if you keep saying sweet things like that to me there’s no way I won’t fall for you,” Richie deadpanned.

“S-s-seriously, are y-you ok?” Bill asked.

“You look like you haven’t slept in weeks,” Mike observed. 

“Well, if you must know,” Richie sighed. “I was up all night making hot, sweaty love to Eddie’s mom.”

“You’re disgusting.” Stan rolled his eyes.

“Thanks, Stan the Man,” Richie grinned. “Where is my Eds, anyway?”

All of the Losers looked away at his question.

“What? Is he dead?” Richie snorted.

“He will be,” Ben murmured.

“Hmmm?”

“Last I saw him, he was by his locker talking to…” Beverly trailed off. “Talking to Sam.”

Richie swallowed, keeping the smile on his face.

“Well I’ll be! Turns out our Eddie is a animal rights activist. Better go find him before he adopts a pet he can’t afford to keep.”

“Richie–“

Richie didn’t wait to hear his friend’s advice and took off down the hallway.

He turned the corner, his worn Chuck Taylors squeaking in protest.

Eddie was there, all right. So was Sam.

They were leaning up against Eddie’s locker, and Sam was telling Eddie something that made the shorter boy laugh.

Just as Sam started bending down towards Eddie, Richie took a running start, bolting down the hallway, and slamming his body in between the two boys.

He bounced off the metal lockers and onto the floor, making everyone in the hallway look at him.

“Richie, oh my god!” Eddie exclaimed. “What the hell are you doing?”

“How ya doin’, mate?” Richie said in an Australian accent, fighting back a groan of pain. “Crikey, these floors are mighty slick this morning!”

“Are you ok?” Sam asked, reaching out to help Richie up.

“No need, Pinky Pie,” Richie said, pushing himself off the ground and using his eyes to tell the blue eyed boy that if he touched him then he wouldn’t be getting his hand back. “What were you guys talking about?”

He looked at Eddie, silently begging him to have changed his mind.

Eddie seemed to pick up on his distress, looking away.

“Well, I guess now is as good a time as any to tell you,” Sam said with a bright smile. “Eddie and I are dating.”

Richie ignored the lump in his throat and sent back an even brighter smile.

“Awesome! Eddie surprises me every day with the kindness and compassion he has for taking care of the less fortunate.”

“That must be why he’s kept you around for so long,” Sam chuckled good naturedly.

“Both of you shut up!” Eddie hissed. “If this is going to work then you need to be able to tolerate each other. Otherwise, I’m going to lose my mind.”

Richie and Sam stared each other down.

“Anything for you, Eds,” Richie finally said.

“Good,” Eddie sighed. “And don’t call me that. Let’s go to class.”

“Oh, we’ll catch up with you,” Sam said. “I’d like to talk to Richie for a sec.”

Eddie glanced back and forth between them, pursing his lips.

“Ok, see you in class.”

He turned and walked away, leaving Richie and Sam alone.

“Anything for you, Eds?” Sam chuckled, when Eddie was out of earshot. “Good God, you are whipped.”

“HA! That’s hilarious coming from a horse. Make me laugh more.” Richie shot back.

Sam smirked.

“And to think I was going to go on my merry way and leave you and your love alone.”

“First of all, I’m not in love with him. Secondly, what the fuck do you have to gain from fucking with my life?” Richie hissed. “Can’t you just trot into another pasture and leave us the hell alone?”

Sam clicked his tongue.

“To tell you the truth, I have nothing to gain from it. I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the show as you self destruct.”

“Eddie isn’t going to fall for your bullshit.” Richie snapped.

“He already is,” Sam laughed. “And I can tell I’m probably his first relationship, right?”

Richie said nothing and the new boy grinned.

“He probably hasn’t even had his first kiss. Well, we can easily change that–“

Richie hands shot out and grabbed the front of Sam’s polo shirt, dragging him close.

“I swear to God if you touch him or hurt him in any way there won’t be a state, city, or fucking crevice in the ground where you can hide that I won’t find you,” Richie said lowly. “And then I’ll show you ways to die that you couldn’t possibly think of, you horse-faced motherfucker.”

Sam’s blue eyes were wide with shock at Richie’s sudden burst of animosity, but they quickly narrowed back into their usual cold glint.

“If you don’t want me to kick your ass in front of the entire school, you’re going to take your hands off me by the time I count to–“

“Then you’ll get expelled.” Richie smirked. “Do you think Eddie’s mom will let him go out with someone who got expelled? Do you think the teachers will look at you with the same dumb respect? By all means, kick my ass.”

Sam paused before chuckling.

“So you’re smarter than you look, I’ll give you that. But I’d like to see you work out a way to tell Eddie who I really am without revealing that you have feelings for him.”

Richie scoffed.

“For the last time, I don’t–“

“Gentlemen,” a voice said, making the two boys turn their heads to see their vice principal, Ms. Heinrich standing with her hands on her hips. “Is there a problem?”

Richie let go of Sam’s shirt, and pretended to dust it off.

“Just swiping the dust off his shirt, ma’am. And speaking of shirts, the blouse you have on today reminds me of a story my grandma told me on the eve of my birthday every year before her untimely death–“

“Go to class, boys.” Ms. Heinrich said dryly, turning and walking away.

Spinning around on his heel, Richie shouldered past Sam.

“I’m going to make you wish you were dead, Seabiscuit.”

“Looking forward to it.”

 

…………

Gah damn, things are getting H E A T E D

Pleeeeeease review! It make me want to get a chapter out to you guys faster :)


	7. Chapter 7

Richie stared at his finished science test blankly.

He was the only one done so far, and the sounds of pencils scribbling filled the air.

He looked over at Eddie, and a smile tugged at his lips.

Eddie was staring at his science test, his forehead crinkled in concentration as he softly bit at the tip of his pencil.

Truthfully, Richie could have been in all advanced classes, but he’d rather be with his friends, so he had phoned it in on the required tests. 

He only decided to take advanced science because Eddie was taking it.

“Psst…” Richie whispered, making Eddie look in his direction.

Richie glanced up at their teacher, who was busy grading papers, before slowly sliding his test to the edge of his desk.

The look of gratefulness Eddie gave him made his heart lurch in his chest.

Eddie quickly copied his answers, and when he was done, he gave Richie a subtle thumbs up.

Richie chuckled softly, moving his test back towards him.

Take that, Pony Princess.

The bell rang five minutes later, and the majority of students in the class groaned, not pleased with how they performed on the exam.

“Did you even study last night?” Eddie asked, stuffing his binder in his backpack.

“People actually do that?” Richie smirked. 

“Yes, people who don’t have fucking photographic memories have to study,” Eddie rolled his eyes before reaching out and touching Richie’s shoulder softly.

“Thanks, by the way. I wouldn’t have survived that thing without you.”

Richie felt like his shoulder was burning, and he swallowed hard.

“You know I’ll always be here for you, Eds.” he laughed. “Whether it be picking out a car, hiding a body, getting you a new boyfriend, helping you on tests–“

“What was that last one?” Eddie raised an eyebrow.

“Helping you on tests?” Richie said innocently.

“No, before that.”

“Hiding a body? Or getting you a new boyfriend?” Richie rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Honestly, they could go hand in hand–“

“I’m not breaking up with Sam, Richie.” Eddie sighed, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

“You haven’t talked about him at all today!” Richie followed him out into the hallway. “That’s a sign that you don’t like him that much!”

“Or I don’t want to talk about my gay relationship in a homophobic school,” Eddie deadpanned.

“I’m honestly not convinced he’s even a boy,” Richie continued. “Have you seen him with his shoes off? Could be hiding hooves in those things.”

“We saw his feet at the quarry.” Eddie sighed.

“Convincing prosthetics!”

“Ok, as much as I’m enjoying this conversation, Sam’s waiting for me at my locker,” Eddie sighed, pointing in front of him.

Sure enough, Richie looked and saw Sam standing there in all his equestrian beauty.

The black haired boy caught Richie’s eyes and smirked.

Richie wanted to skin him.

“I’ll see you next period in PE,” Eddie waved, walking away from Richie.

Richie watched Eddie walk over to his new boyfriend and immediately start smiling.

After a few seconds, he couldn’t take it anymore and turned to flee the scene, but walked straight into Bill’s chest.

Richie saw the five other members of the Losers Club smiling at him.

“Oh! S-s-sorry, R-R-Richie!” Bill exclaimed. “Are y-you ok?”

“Why is everyone asking me if I’m ok?” Richie hissed. “I’m obviously fucking terrific! Can’t you tell by my face how abso-fuckin-lutely ok I am?”

His friends looked taken aback by his outburst, and Stan stepped forward.

“Richie, did something happen with Eddie?”

“No, Stanley!” Richie snapped. “Nothing happened with Eddie! Not a single goddamn thing has ever happened with Eddie! He’s my best friend and that’s all there is to it! Get off my dick, bird boy!”

With that, he pushed past his friends and stormed away.

 

…………….

 

[Physical Education]

“Why do I have a feeling that this isn’t just because Richie thinks Sam is a horse?” Mike asked as he laced up his tennis shoes.

“W-w-we’ve had to p-p-put up with their shit f-f-for years,” Bill said. “Y-you get u-u-used to it.”

“Why can’t anything come easily when it comes to those two idiots?” Stan sighed, stretching out his arms.

“Look,” Ben pointed. “There he is.”

The group turned and saw Richie walking into the gym with an aura around him so dark that a few people actually turned to observe.

“What’s up, fuckers?” he called, walking towards them.

“Just waiting for Coach Connors to tell us what the activity is for today,” Bev replied, walking over and touching Richie’s shoulder.

“You ok, loser?” she whispered.

Richie hesitated before looking at her, and Beverly was taken aback by the pure mixture of conflict and pain in his brown eyes.

“Always,” the tall boy replied with a grin.

Richie glanced around the room until his eyes landed on the object of his search.

Eddie was standing on the opposite side of the gym, talking to Shetland.

Almost like he could feel Richie staring, Eddie turned around to look at him.

He waved and Richie smirked before flipping him off.

Eddie scowled, saying something to Sam before beginning to make his way towards the Losers Club.

He was halfway to them when their burly PE teacher, Coach Connors, walked out of his office.

“Alright sophomores, since it’s the beginning of the year, I thought it’d be appropriate if we had our first game of dodgeball,” Connors said, making everyone groan. “Hey, I don’t want to hear any whining! Who wants to be team captains?”

“I will.” Sam spoke up, his eyes never leaving Richie’s.

“Good on you, Jackson,” Connors praised. “Who else?”

“Sign me the fuck up.”

The words came out of Richie’s mouth before he could stop them, and everyone looked at him in surprise.

“What are you doing?” Stan hissed.

“Shut the fuck up!” Richie shot back.

“Appreciate the enthusiasm, but watch the language, Tozier,” Connors reprimanded. “Alright gentlemen, who do you pick as your first teammate.”

“I want Eddie.” both Richie and Sam said at the same time.

“For Christ’s sake…” Beverly pinched the bridge of her nose.

Richie and Sam stared each other down with such an intensity that Coach Connors had to clear his throat to break the tension.

“Since Jackson volunteered first, he can have first pick.”

“Guess I get Eddie, then,” Sam chuckled, moving in front of the shorter boy.

Richie gritted his teeth, before relaxing.

“I pick Beverly.” he replied with a sunny smile.

Everyone in school knew Beverly Marsh had the best arm in town.

And so the two boys continued selecting their teammates until they were evenly divided onto opposite sides of the gym.

Bill and Stan ended up on Richie’s team, while Mike and Ben were placed on Sam’s.

“You know how this works,” Connors said. “If you get hit by a ball, you’re out. Catching a ball to get someone out is for pansies.”

“Richie, try not to lose your head, alright?” Beverly nudged him.

“I’ll be too busy trying to make that fucker’s head fly off to worry about mine, baby doll,” Richie drawled lowly.

Beverly sighed.

“Then I’ve got your back.”

The whistle around the coach’s neck screamed, and the students made a mad dash towards the eight red balls on the middle line of the gym.

Sam got the first ball and sent it sailing straight for Richie, but Richie was able to jump out of the way at the last second.

“You’ll have to do better than that, Jackson!” he called out.

Stan was good at catching balls, and preferred to do that instead of throw them at people.

Bill was the opposite way, and they made a pretty good team.

Ben straight up refused to throw any balls on the off chance that he would hit Beverly, and Bill ended up basically rolling a ball at him to get him out.

Beverly on the other hand was a fucking beast.

She was chunking balls with more speed and accuracy than anyone on the floor, and almost no one could escape her wrath.

Mike was the only one who was almost as good as her, and they began to engage in their own friendly battle.

Finally, Eddie did his best not to touch any balls.

Who knew what kind of germs would be on those gross gym balls?

Soon, the only people on the court were Mike, Beverly, Eddie, Richie, and Sam.

With Mike and Beverly focused on each other, Sam and Richie were free to be as sadistic as they wanted to each other.

They were both sweating, and their arms were getting tired from throwing the balls with all their strength and then using random bursts of speed to dodge the other’s attacks.

They were so immersed in their hostility that they didn’t notice Mike and Beverly share a look of mischievous understanding.

There were only two balls left on the court, and the one that Richie and Sam had been using rolled straight down the middle.

Richie started to make a run for it when he heard Beverly yell, “Duck smash!”

A grin spread across his face when he realized what she was planning, and slowed his run down to where Sam was able to get the ball.

Sam picked up the red sphere and twirled it in his hands.

“Well, well, well– Guess this is the end of the line for you, Richie.”

Richie backed up slowly with a grimace.

“Now, I’ll make you a deal,” Sam said. “If you admit that I’m better than you, I won’t hit you as hard. How does that sound?”

“Fuck off.” Richie scowled.

“C’mon Richie,” Sam grinned, raising the ball up tauntingly. “Swallow your pride.”

Richie pretended to process his words before his frown spread into a smirk.

“Swallow this, Pegasus.”

Then he dropped to the ground just as a ball sailed over his head and smashed into Sam’s face.

The black haired boy fell to the ground with a loud thump, and Richie jumped up, pumping his fist in the air.

“Fucking suck it!” he crowed, turning around and picking a grinning Beverly up in his arms to spin her around.

“I can’t believe you remember Duck Smash!”

“How could I forget our main plan of attack against the Bower’s gang?” she laughed.

Richie put her down, and walked back over until he was standing above Sam, who was bleeding from his nose.

“You might want to call the town veterinarian,” he said sweetly. “Because I think it’s time for–“

He was cut off by a ball bouncing off his head.

Richie looked up to find Eddie looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Are you proud of yourself?” the shorter boy asked.

Richie hesitated, feeling the euphoria in his chest fade slightly at the sight of his best friend’s expression.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he put a hand over his heart. “Did I hurt your pet?”

Eddie rolled his eyes, bending down beside Sam.

“Are you ok?” he asked the new boy.

“Much better now that I have this view,” Sam replied with a smile.

Richie was going to be sick.

“Yo, Coach Connors, can we get this kid to the nurse before he gives the whole school AIDS with his jacked up blood!”

The coach hurried over and helped Sam up.

“I’m taking him to the nurse's office, and none of you kids better cause any problems while I’m gone!” Connors called out.

Eddie stepped forward, but Richie’s hand shot out and wrapped around his middle.

“Richie, I have to–“

“No, you don’t,” Richie interrupted. “Pick me.”

Eddie looked at him in surprise.

“Pick you?”

Richie realized what he said and cleared his throat.

“You’ve picked him over me all day today. Just stay with me for a second.”

Eddie paused before nodding.

“Ok.”

Richie smiled genuinely for what felt like the first time in a month.

“You know, I never realized how cute you look in your gym shorts?”

“Ok, moment’s over,” Eddie groaned. “Let me go.”

“Not if my life depended on it, Eds.”

 

 

……..

Thought I’d give this a happier ending haha :)

Ok so there is something I want to address: net neutrality.

The FCC is trying to get rid of it, which basically means that publicly funded websites will be shut down because they will require government funding. AO3 is a publicly funded website. It breaks my fucking heart to think that all of the gorgeous works on here could be lost so that some greedy, pathetic men can control the internet and get a shit ton of money, but it is what it is.

I’m hoping and praying that the bill doesn’t go through, but I thought you guys should know and be prepared. The vote is Dec. 14th.

I love all you guys so much and I will continue writing until I am unable to!

Until then, pretty please review review review!

-Maddie


	8. Chapter 8

“We’re not watching Teen Wolf, that movie is annoying as fuck,” Richie said, stuffing another handful of chips in his mouth.

The Losers Club were at Bill’s house for a sleepover, like they did almost every Friday.

“We could watch Blade Runner?” Stan suggested.

“Can we do something other than watch a movie?” Ben asked.

“What? Like discuss the detailed synopsis of Wuthering Heights?” Richie smirked.

“Fuck you,” Ben chuckled.

“You’re such a bad influence,” Eddie rolled his eyes. “Ben never used to curse.”

“That’s right. I’m a bad influence,” Richie grinned, wrapping an arm around his best friend. “Almost like a drug. Specifically, Ecstasy–“

“Never touch me again.” Eddie said blankly, moving away.

“As if I’d ever let you leave me, Spaghetti Man!” Richie latched onto Eddie’s waist.

“Let go, you idiot!”

As the two boys wrestled, the house phone started to ring.

“I’ll g-get it,” Bill said, standing up from the couch.

He walked over and picked up the receiver.

“Hello?”

Bill paused, waiting for the person on the other end of the line to identify themselves.

“Who is it?” Stan asked.

“Eddie, it’s your mom,” Bill said, holding out the receiver.

“Shit!” Eddie cursed, jumping up. “You guys better shut the fuck up while I’m talking to her.”

“Sure thing, Eds,” Richie nodded.

Eddie gave his friends a wary gaze before taking the phone out of Bill’s hands.

“Hey mommy–“

“AH, FUCK ME HARDER, BABY!” Richie moaned.

“Put that knife down!” Stan yelled.

“Fucking shit on a motherfucking cocksucker stick!” Beverly called out.

“Hey, w-w-where’s the w-weed?” Bill asked loudly.

“Turn the porn down, Eddie’s on the phone!” Ben shouted.

“Why are you all naked!?” Mike yelled.

“You’re dead!” Eddie hissed as his friends cackled. “What? No mom, that’s just my… Yes, I know they’re bad influences…”

The group remained quiet for the rest of Eddie’s phone call, but when the smaller boy hung up the phone, they all burst out laughing again.

“I hate you so much,” Eddie sighed, sitting back down.

“We love you too, Eds,” Richie grinned, ruffling Eddie’s hair.

“Don’t call me that!” Eddie snapped.

“So what are we gonna do?” Mike asked.

“What about truth or dare?” Beverly offered.

“Sounds good.” Richie agreed.

“I’m in.” Bill nodded.

“Ok, but whatever you choose, you can’t change your answer,” Stan warned.

“Fine by me,” Richie puffed out his chest. “I’ve got nothing to hide.”

He didn’t notice the look Beverly, Stan, Bill, Mike, and Ben shared.

“I’ll go first,” Eddie offered. “Somebody do me.”

Richie opened his mouth, but Stan punched him in the shoulder before he could say anything.

“Alright, t-t-truth or d-dare?” Bill asked.

“Truth.” Eddie said immediately.

“H-h-have you ever h-h-had a s-sex dream about any of u-us?” Bill grinned.

Eddie’s face turned bright red, making everyone else laugh.

Meanwhile, Richie’s cheeks secretly had a slight pink hue to them.

“Ummm…” 

“You have to answer,” Beverly prodded.

Eddie looked at the floor.

“Yeah.”

“No way! Who?” Richie gasped.

“One question per turn!” Eddie snapped. “Mike, truth or dare?”

Mike paused, considering his choices before he decided on a dare.

“I dare you to spin in a circle ten times and then do a cartwheel.” Eddie smirked.

“Good lord,” Mike sighed, standing up.

The dark skinned boy did as he was told, spinning around quickly, each spin getting sloppier than the last.

“Be c-c-careful not t-to b-b-break anything!” Bill said fearfully.

It was comedic to say the least when Mike groggily made an attempt to put his hands on the ground to cartwheel, but instead fell over.

“Richie, truth or dare?” Mike gasped, righting himself.

“Do you even have to ask?” Richie grinned.

Mike smiled like he had a secret and leaned over to whisper something in Richie’s ear.

“I dare you to confess your undying love to the next person who curses with everything you’ve got.”

Richie’s alert signals flashed, but he shook off the feeling of caution.

“Fine by me, my boy,” he said in an English accent. “One must do what one must do in war.”

“Cut it out with the fucking accents,” Eddie scowled.

Richie froze.

He looked in at Mike in a silent plea for mercy, but found no such thing in his friend’s brown irises.

What the fuck did he ever do to the universe to deserve this shit?

“Oh Eds,” Richie cried, falling onto the shorter boy’s lap. “I’ve tried to fight it, but I can’t do it no more! I may just be a small town country girl and you may be a big city cat, but damn it– I’m in love with you!”

Eddie stiffened.

“What the fuck?”

“I don’t know how it happened,” Richie continued. “But one day I looked at your face and realized that you’re the only one for me! Who could have predicted that I would have fallen for my best friend?”

‘Ok, stop talking, you fucking moron!’ Richie’s brain shrieked.

Richie looked up at Eddie, and was taken aback by the shorter boy’s face.

It wasn’t the normal expression of annoyance or amusement.

Eddie looked like he was almost in pain.

“Eds?” Richie questioned, sitting up. “Are you–“

“I need to go to the bathroom.” Eddie said quickly, getting up and leaving the room.

The six remaining members of the Losers Club sat in a shocked silence.

“I’ll go get him,” Richie finally said, standing up and following Eddie out the room.

The curly haired boy remained calm until he was out of the living area.

He then balanced himself against a wall and clutched his chest, where his heart felt like it was trying to beat its way out of his rib cage.

“What the fuck was that?” he hissed.

He eventually gave up on trying to rationalize the situation and continued down the hall until he found the bathroom Eddie had barricaded himself in.

“Room service,” Richie called, knocking on the door three times.

There was a long silence before a small voice answered, “Not hungry.”

Richie chuckled.

“Eddie, come out before I huff and puff and break down the fucking door.”

“Bill will kill you.”

“You’ll avenge me.”

“Not a chance.”

“Eddie, come out of the bathroom,” Richie ordered.

“No.”

Richie sighed.

“Alright, stay in there. I’ve been wanting to tell you about my dream about your mom, anyway. So we start out on a blanket in the Caribbean, just watching the waves wash to shore. She’s wearing a skimpy pink bikini with flowers on the tits area. I glance away for a moment and when I look back at her, her bikini is nowhere to be found–“

The bathroom door flew open to reveal a very disgruntled looking Eddie Kaspbrak.

“If you finish that sentence, I’ll murder you and make it look like an accident.”

Richie grinned.

“There’s my Eds.”

“Don’t call me that,” Eddie flipped Richie off, walking past him.

Richie followed Eddie until they were out of the house and on the front porch.

Eddie sat down on the porch swing and looked up at the sky.

“It’s beautiful tonight.”

‘Not as beautiful as you,’ a voice whispered in Richie’s ear, but Richie shook the voice away.

“Tell me what’s going on.” the taller boy said, sitting down next to his friend.

Eddie glanced at him.

“You know you can’t just tell people you’re in love with them anytime you feel like it, right?”

Richie felt like someone had kicked him in the stomach.

“It was all part of Mike’s dare. I didn’t think it would upset you.”

Eddie shook his head.

“It didn’t upset me, it just… made me think. What are you going to do when you actually fall in love?”

Richie bit his lip.

“I don’t know. I don’t really think I’m the falling in love type.”

Eddie breathed a laugh.

“There is no type when it comes to love.”

Richie looked up at the full moon that was shining brightly in the night sky, surrounded by glittering stars, as if the stars only purpose in life were to make the moon look more perfect than it already did.

He looked back over at Eddie, and suddenly… he knew.

Eddie was his moon.

“Yeah,” Richie said quietly. “I guess you’re right.”

 

…….

I swear to god, this fic is killing my heart more with every chapter.

Please review so I write faster :)


	9. Chapter 9

“Hey, Eds, wait up!” Richie grinned, chasing after Eddie through the barrens.

Eddie glanced back at him with a smirk, and ran even faster.

Richie wondered how Eddie was running that fast with his asthma, but he pumped his legs harder to catch up with him.

“Gotcha!” he shouted, tackled his best friend to the ground.

They wrestled on the forest floor for several minutes before Richie got Eddie pinned down.

“Ha! Fuck you! Trashmouth Tozier wins again!” Richie smirked.

“You know I could do that,” Eddie mused. “Or you could fuck me yourself.”

Richie eyes widened and he froze.

“Pardon?” 

Eddie sighed.

“Are you ever going to admit you like me?”

Richie swallowed.

“Ummm…”

Eddie chuckled.

“Just kiss me, you idiot.”

A slow grin spread across Richie’s face as he rolled them up into a sitting position and took Eddie’s face in his hands.

Then he cautiously leaned forward until their lips were scraping against each other’s.

“Eddie, I love you,” he whispered.

Eddie startled backwards.

“What? That’s disgusting!”

Richie frowned.

“What?”

“You think I would ever love you? Please!” Eddie sneered. “Who would ever love you?”

“But you just–“

“Why would I ever want to be with someone as pathetic as you when I have Sam?” Eddie continued. “You call yourself a comedian? That’s your best joke yet!”

“I’m sorry!” Richie said, tears beginning to prick up in his eyes.

“Oh, you’re sorry?” Eddie smirked. “How about you wake up.”

“What?”

“I said to wake up!” Eddie yelled louder.

“RICHIE, WAKE UP!”

Richie bolted upright from his spot on the couch, sending his blanket tumbling to the floor.

He looked around frantically, to find that he was in Bill’s house and his six friends were looking at him with intensely worried expression.

It was all a dream.

“Are you ok, man?” Mike asked.

Richie let out a shaky laugh.

“What? No good morning? Of course, I’m ok. I just need to use the bathroom.”

Before anyone could say anything, Richie leapt up from the couch.

The tall boy bounded down the hallway, and instead of going to the bathroom, elected to go outside on the porch.

He slammed open the front door, and inhaled the crisp morning air like he’d been underground for years.

“Just a dream… just a dream…” he murmured to himself.

He continued to take sharp breaths until his heart began to beat at a normal speed, and he lumbered over to the porch swing, sitting down with a huff.

“Richie?”

The bespectacled boy turned his head to see Stan poke his head out the front door.

“What’s up, Stan the Man?” Richie grinned casually.

“Permission to enter?” Stan returned the grin.

“Granted.”

Stan pushed open the door, and walked out onto the porch smoothly.

“That was some dream you were having,” Stan threw out, sitting down beside Richie.

Richie shrugged.

“It happens.”

“You said Eddie’s name.”

Richie glanced in Stan’s direction.

“Well, how bout them apples?”

Stan nodded.

“Yep. Several times.” He looked at Richie curiously. “What was the dream about?”

“Well, if you must know, it was a super steamy sex dream between me and Eddie’s mom–“

“Richie,” Stan said warningly.

Richie pursed his lips.

“What if I told him something and it made him hate me?”

“There is literally nothing you could say to make Eddie hate you,” Stan said matter-of-factly.

“No, this would,” Richie argued. “He’d never want to be friends with me again.”

Stan exhaled deeply.

“When did you figure it out?”

Richie paused.

“Last night.”

The Jewish boy nodded.

“Well, at least we’ve made it to step one.”

“One out of three hundred,” Richie grumbled.

“I’d say it’s more like one out of two.”

“You know, I’d prefer to stay at one and take this to my grave–“

“Richie, if you don’t tell him soon, you’re going to lose him.”

“I literally have nothing to give him that Horsefuck McGee doesn’t have in spades!” Richie argued. “He would never pick me.”

“Well, you can sit around feeling sorry for yourself or you can get off your ass and fight for him,” Stan shrugged. “You’ve just got to decide if he’s worth it.”

“Of course he’s worth it!” Richie exclaimed.

“Then why are you even considering not winning him over?” Stan raised an eyebrow.

Richie paused.

“When did you turn into a fucking therapist?”

Stan grinned.

“Since I got tired of you pretending like your world doesn’t revolve around Eddie.”

“Jesus Christ, am I that obvious?” Richie groaned.

“The only person that you’ve ever encountered that doesn’t know within fifteen seconds of seeing you together is Eddie,” Stan deadpanned.

“Alright,” Richie sighed. “So, we’re working on step two.”

Stan clapped him on the shoulder.

“Good. I hate playing babysitter.”

“I have to wait for the right time, though,” Richie mused.

“Oh my God, please don’t blurt it out like an idiot in front of the entire school,” Stan groaned.

“I wasn’t going to,” Richie retorted.

Stan nodded, standing up.

“What’s the excuse for when we go back inside?”

“We’ll say that we were planning a giant disco orgy on the eve of the new moon–“

“I’m never talking to you again.”

 

……

I BET YOU MOTHERFUCKERS THOUGHT I WAS DEAD!


	10. Chapter 10

“I give up!” 

A red dry erase maker sailed across the room as Richie fell onto his bed in defeat.

He had spent the last three hours trying to figure out some brilliant way to tell Eddie he was in love with him without seeming like a total dipshit, but his dipshit-o-meter was higher than ever.

He had school the next day and he had no idea how he was going to look Eddie in the eyes without blurting out how he felt.

Groaning, he fumbled his gangly limbs into the kitchen and punched a number into the telephone on the wall.

He picked it up in time to hear a dry “Hello?” sound through the receiver.

“Hello, my darling, my light, my little Eds Bear!”

“What do you want, Richie?”

Richie frowned.

Eddie didn’t even tell him to not call him Eds.

“You busy, darlin? Wanna go get some grub?”

Eddie’s breath crackled through the phone.

“I can’t. I’m with Sa– someone.”

Richie scowled, his brain whirling out of control.

“Oh, ok. I was just wondering because I happen to have a smokin’ hot date tonight and I just wondering if you and your prize foal wanted to double up.”

“What?” Eddie’s voice jumped up a pitch.

What the fuckity what-what was right, because Richie had no fucking idea what to do with the lie he just told.

“Oh ummmm… yeah! My date! You should see ‘er, Eds! She’s quite the beauty!” Richie pandered on. “You hitching saddles with ol’ Sammy really inspired me to get out there in the world and… get laid!”

“Get laid?”

“Yes! Get laid!” Richie exclaimed, looking around his house and expecting Stan to jump out and stab him at any moment. “So are you in?” 

Richie heard Eddie murmur something under his breath that sounded like curse words.

“Sound like fun,” Eddie finally responded. “Meet you at Red’s around seven?”

“Jolly good! Can’t wait for you to meet her, Eds!”

“You never said who she was–“

“Ok, bye now!”

Richie quickly slammed the phone back where it was and took a deep breath.

“I need a motherfucking date.”

 

……………………

 

“No. Absolutely not.”

“Jessica, please!” Richie groaned. “You have to help me!”

“I don’t HAVE to do anything!” the teenage girl snorted, sitting down on the bench outside of her house and tossing her long blond hair across her shoulder.

Jessica Morrison was a girl that the Eddie, Stan, Bill, and Richie had grown up with.

They’d always been equally bullied, until around freshman year, when puberty hit Jessica like a truck.

Suddenly, everyone wanted to be Jessica’s friend, but she never gave anyone but the select few people she found tolerable the time of day.

Richie happened to be one of them.

“I will owe you so big!” Richie pleaded. “That’s a favor from an idiot who know will do anything!”

“Tempting,” Jessica deadpanned. “Why is it such a big deal that I pretend to be your girlfriend tonight? Your friends already know you’re a loser.”

“Well,” Richie tried to phrase his words right. “It’s just… special tonight.”

Jessica raised an eyebrow and waited.

Richie paced back and forth frantically before scrubbing his hands through his hair with a growl.

“Ok, you know that new kid, Sam Jackson?” 

“Yeah.”

“He’s gonna be there to hang out with us.”

“Yeah.”

“With Eddie.”

“Ok.”

“And no one else.”

“Ok.”

“It’ll just be him and Eddie.”

“Yeah.” 

“And me and you.”

“Ok,” Jessica sighed. “And?”

Richie held his breath while she pieced the last bits of the puzzle together.

He watched as her eyes settled into an understanding.

“And it’ll be a double date.”

Richie nodded.

“Yeah.”

Jessica bit the inside of her cheek as she took in what must have been a comically desperate expression from Richie Tozier.

“What time’s the date?”

Richie’s eyes lit up like fucking Christmas lights.

“Seven o’clock, my fair lady!”

“Cut the bullshit accents, Tozier. I only have an hour to make you look the best you’ll look for the rest of your life.”

“You’re dressing me up?”

“No, I’m dressing myself up.”

“Oh, I see what you did there.”

 

………………..

 

Seven o’clock rolled around and Richie took a deep breath in front of Red’s Diner

True to her word, Jessica did dress herself up. She was wearing a red sundress that hugged her waist and showed plenty of cleavage.

She did make him look good.

“Relax Trashmouth, he’s not gonna know what hit him,” Jessica clapped him on the shoulder before intertwining their fingers.

“Remind me what the plan is?” Richie pulled at the collar on his hideous purple and green Hawaiian shirt.

“You hold my hand, twirl my hair, look at me like you want to rip my clothes off, and we get the hell out.”

Richie nodded and puffed out his chest.

“Let’s get this shit over with.”

The two teenagers walked hand in hand into the restaurant and found that it was pretty crowded for a Sunday evening.

Richie looked around until he saw a small hand waving at him.

He recognized Eddie and Sam sitting in a booth in the back.

“Keep your fuckin’ cool,” Jessica whispered.

“I’m always cool,” Richie whispered back as they made their way over to the booth.

“Hey, Richie!” Eddie called out.

“Hey, Edward!” Richie responded before gesturing to the girl beside him. “This is my lady.”

“Jessica?” Eddie asked in confusion. “I didn’t know you and Richie were… a thing?”

Jessica smiled at Richie slyly.

“Yeah, for some reason I like him.”

“Gee, thanks,” Richie snorted.

“So how long has this been going on?” Eddie cleared his throat.

“Well, he’s been annoying me–“ Jessica started.

“Courting her–“ Richie interrupted.

“–for a week now,” she finished. “I finally said yes.”

“You two are adorable,” Sam smiled amiably.

“Thanks Fluttershy, that’s means everything coming from you!” Richie smiled back.

“Hi!” a female server with a name tag that read ‘Ashley’ walked over to the table. “Can I get you started with some drinks?”

“First things first, do you have a trough for my friend?” Richie asked, only to be kicked by Eddie under the table.

“I’ll have water,” the smaller boy said.

“I’ll have an iced tea,” said Jessica.

“Hit me up with some root beer, mademoiselle,” Richie snapped finger guns.

“I’ll take a coke,” Sam flashed her a grin.

Ashley blushed and Richie rolled his eyes so hard he could see the back of his skull.

“You know, you kind of look like a young John F. Kennedy?” she giggled.

“Jesus Christ, hasn’t that family suffered enough…” Richie deadpanned.

Jessica let out a laugh that she quickly stifled into a cough.

“I’ll be right back with your drinks,” Ashley clicked her tongue before walking away.

“So Jessica, you’re still on the track team, right?” Eddie asked, glaring at Richie.

“Yeah, but I might not stay with it,” the blond shrugged.

“I’m actually thinking of joining the track team,” Sam chimed in.

“Well, considering your earlier work last May in the Kentucky Derby, I’m sure you’ll be great!” Richie smiled sunnily.

“Yeah Sam, I’m sure you’ll be great!” Eddie gave Richie another swift kick.

“Thanks,” Sam winked at the smaller boy.

Eddie blushed and Richie instinctively grabbed Jessica’s hair and pulled.

“Ow!” the blond growled.

“Sorry Sugarbear, just can’t keep my fingers off ya!” Richie forced a laugh that sounded like a freshly plucked bird.

“Alright, here are your drinks!” Ashley appeared with a tray, handing out the beverages. “Is everyone ready to order?”

“I sure as hell am,” Eddie sighed. “I’ll have the walnut salad.”

“Me too,” Sam nudged Eddie.

“ME THREE!” Richie blurted out before Eddie could react.

“Richie, you hate salad…” Eddie raised an eyebrow.

“I can try new things. I’ll have you know I’m a very cultured man!” Richie sniffed.

“Sorry to break it to you, but wearing Hawaiian shirts doesn’t make you cultured,” Sam chuckled goodnaturedly.

“Sorry to break it to you, but you can take my Hawaiian shirts and stick them up your–“

“I’ll have a cheeseburger!” Jessica cut them all off. “Richie, can I speak to you outside for a moment?”

“Sure thing, my lady–“ the bespectacled boy started, but was pulled away before he could finish his sentence.

Jessica pushed him past Ashley and out the restaurant door, until they were alone outside.

“What in the fresh fuck are you doing?” Jessica sighed.

“Full disclosure, I honestly have no clue, this entire night has been a blackout–“

“You’re killing us in there!” his date growled. “You brought me here to make Eddie jealous, but you’re just spitting balls of half-baked poison at Sam!”

“Ok, but–“

“No buts, you baby back bitch!” Jessica hissed. We’re gonna go back in there and give them the best fucking show they’ve ever seen!”

“Holy shit, you’re intense…” Richie whispered. 

“Fucking right,” Jessica stuck her hand out for a fist bump and Richie enthusiastically obliged.

The pair strolled back in the diner with Richie’s hand planted firmly in Jessica’s ass and red lipstick on his neck.

They say back down at their booth and Eddie’s facial expression contorted into that of a misshapen tiki mask.

“Wow, our food still isn’t here?” Richie asked casually. “You’d think it’d take four seconds to throw some leaves and nuts in a bowl.”

“You have a little…” Eddie tried to say, pointing at Richie’s neck.

“What’s up, Eds?” Richie played dumb.

“Don’t call me that and there’s… on your neck…” Eddie grappled.

“There’s lipstick on your neck,” Sam cut in.

“Oh, that’s my fault,” Jessica giggled. “Can’t keep my hands off him.”

“Ditto, sweetheart,” Richie grinned.

“So Eddie, do you want to hang out my house afterwards–” Sam started.

“I’m sorry, I’m just having a hard time with how serious you are,” Eddie leaned forward on the table. “You haven’t even been together for that long.”

“Well, when that special someone comes along, you have to jump on that train before it leaves the station,” Richie twirled Jessica’s blond hair slowly. “I’m actually meeting her parents tonight.”

“It’s gonna be an interesting conversation now that I have two people to call my Daddy,” Jessica winked, making Eddie inhale his water.

“Jess, we’re in public,” Richie purred.

“I know,” Jessica smirked.

“Here’s your food!” Ashley approached the table, but paused when she walked into the tense environment.

“Thank you,” Sam said as she sat down the food.

Ashley nodded and walked away, leaving the four teenagers alone once again.

Richie moved his salad in front of him and slowly ripped open his ranch dressing packet, squeezing it slightly so that some of the dressing squirted onto his fingers.

“Oops, clumsy me,” he said reaching for a napkin, before Jessica caught his hand.

“Please, let me,” she said huskily, lifting his index finger to her lips and sucking on it in a way that would make any seductress shake with envy.

Meanwhile, Richie was in physical pain from fighting the urge to laugh, so he snuck a glance at Eddie, whose horrified expression filled him with euphoria.

“What do you say we get out of here and you can trade my finger for something… bigger?”

“OK, THAT’S IT!” Eddie yelled, slapping the table and standing up. “Richie, can I talk to you outside?”

“Well–“

“GREAT!” Eddie grabbed Richie by his collar and dragged him out of the restaurant.

Richie was mentally jumping for joy as they walked into the prerequisite autumn air, but kept his cool as Eddie spun around with his hands on his small hips.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Eddie asked.

“I’m on a double date, what do you think?” Richie grinned.

“Cut the shit, Tozier, you’re acting weird and you know it!” Eddie growled.

“If anyone’s acting weird, it’s you,” Richie shrugged.

“Me? I’m acting weird? I’m not the one who waltzed in with a girlfriend that not a single one of my friends knew about and proceeded to eyefuck her the entire night!”

“Why do you care who I eyefuck?” Richie questioned.

“I don’t! What I care about is that you were keeping such a big thing from me!” Eddie shot back.

“Why are you mad at me for being with Jessica when you decided to hook up with Horseballs McDumbfuck!? At least my girlfriend has a soul!” Richie retorted, feeling anger spike up in his stomach.

“Sam has a soul! He’s a great guy!” Eddie hissed.

“Give me a break, I’m TEN TIMES the man he is!” Richie yelled.

“Oh, so I should date you instead?” Eddie scoffed.

“Damn straight you should!” Richie yelled.

“You did all this because you were jealous!?”

“I’m not jealous of Seabiscuit, you asshole!”

“Well, I’m not jealous of Jessica either!”

“Well, I guess neither of us are jealous!”

“I guess so!”

“I’m going back inside!” Richie snarled.

“So am I!” Eddie shoved past him.

“Good!”

“Great!”

“Fantastic!”

“Amazing!”

The two boys stalked back into the restaurant, slammed themselves down beside their significant others and refused to look at each other for the rest of the night, all without realizing that Richie had just confessed his feelings.

 

…………….

Sorry for typos! This was written in an hour long frenzy!

Please comment and let me know what you thought!


	11. Chapter 11

“You did WHAT?” Stan screeched.

“Ok, I don’t need that tone from you!” Richie retorted.

“Oh, I’m sorry, would you like me to pat you on that back and congratulate you on your COMPLETE STUPIDITY!?” Stan ran his hands down his face in exasperation. “I can’t believe you!”

“Well, it went pretty well in my opinion,” Richie huffed, plopping down on Stan’s perfectly made bed.

“Really?” Stan snorted. “You think your plan went well?”

“Ummm–“

“Let’s recap, shall we!” the Jewish boy paced back and forth. “I tell you to tell Eddie you like him. You DON’T listen to me. Instead, you enlist the help of a girl to make Eddie jealous. And did it work?”

“I thought–“

“NO, IT DIDN’T!” Stan hurled a rubber band ball at Richie’s head.

“Ow!” Richie rubbed his forehead where the ball had made contact. “Why are you so angry at me?”

Stan paused, taking a deep breath.

“Because I want you to happy and you’re making it impossible.”

“Stan, I’m trying!” Richie whined, falling backwards onto the blue sheets. “I just can’t think straight around Eddie.”

“Yeah, that’s pretty clear,” Stan deadpanned.

“Fuck you.”

“You’re gonna continue with this fake girlfriend thing, aren’t you?”

“Yep.”

“I’m going to kill you in your sleep.”

 

………………

 

Richie pumped his legs at a steady pace as his bike bumped and rolled over the cracked road.

He pulled up to a familiar house, dropped his bike, and knocked on the door three times.

The door swung open and Jessica grinned. 

“Long time, no see.”

“Ha ha,” Richie said. “Can you talk?”

Jessica shrugged, closing the door behind her as she walked outside.

“Are we talking about the raging success of our date night?”

Richie snorted, kicking a rock as he sat down on her porch steps.

“Still wanna help me?”

Jessica sat down beside him and laid her head on his shoulder.

“I’ve got nothing better to do.”

Richie glanced down at her.

“Why are being so nice to me?”

The blond girl hummed.

“One of us has to get our gay happy ending.”

Richie turned to face her with wide eyes.

“Wait, you’re…”

Jessica smiled.

“Wow. Speechless. That’s a first.”

Richie smiled back and held out his hand for a fist bump.

Jessica happily obliged.

 

………………

The next day, Richie and Jessica walked into the school hand in hand.

Everyone turned to look at them in curiosity, wondering why in the world Jessica Morrison was with Trashmouth Tozier. 

“We’re hot together, own it,” Jessica whispered.

“Hell yeah,” Richie replied, spotting his friends in the hallway. “Hey, guys!”

The Losers all turned and took in the new couple with different reactions.

“Oh, t-t-this is n-new,” Bill said slowly.

“Guys, you remember Jessica,” Richie said.

“Hi!” Ben smiled.

“How’s it going?” Mike added.

Stan’s glare could melt glass and Beverly seemed grudgingly amused.

“Why do your friends look eight times cooler than you?” Jessica said blankly, making the group laugh.

“I like her alr-r-ready,” Bill said.

“Why must you hurt me, darling?” Richie pouted.

“It brings me joy,” Jessica smirked.

“So where’s Eds and Tommy Two-Hooves?” Richie asked.

“Right here,” a smooth voice answered.

The group turned to find Eddie and Sam standing behind them.

“Good morning everyone,” Sam greeted.

Eddie looked at Richie and pursed his lips.

“Richard.”

“Edward,” Richie retorted.

The tension was palpable, but neither boy was wavering.

“We were just heading to class and decided to come say hi,” Sam said as they turned and started walking toward the classroom, waving his binder. “Ready for the English test today?”

Richie eyed Sam’s bright red binder and noticed a name tag.

“Your name is Samuel L. Jackson?” he asked blankly. “What does the L stand for? Lymphoma?”

“I, for one, and ready for the test!” Jessica cut in. “I studied all weekend.”

“Not to be a neighsayer, but you spent quite a bit of time with me, sweet thing,” Richie purred. “And we didn’t do much studying.”

Eddie picked up his pace and stalked past the Losers with Sam in tow.

Jessica chuckled under her breath and Richie preened.

“I’ve never wanted to punch you in the face more than I do right now,” Stan mumbled as he passed Richie.

………………..

Lunch was loud as usual, but now the Losers has a new addition to their entourage.

“Dear god, I think that’s still alive,” Mike commented at the sloppy joe on his tray that he quickly moved to the side.

“I’ve already called the cops and they’re on their way,” Jessica joked, drawing a laugh.

The group seemed to like Jessica. Her dry wit fit right into their hodgepodge of senses of humor.

Richie was pleased with Eddie’s permanent look of contempt and he happily munched on his chips.

“Excuse me, I’ve got to squeeze the lemon,” he said, standing up. “Be right back.”

He walked into the bathroom that was behind the lunchroom.

After relieving himself, he stepped out of the bathroom stall and walked up to the sink, turning on the faucet.

“Well played, Tozier.”

Richie turned to his right to see Sam leaning against the wall behind him.

“I have no idea what you mean,” Richie drawled out. 

“Here’s some advice,” Sam pushed off the concrete and walked over to Richie. “Getting a girl to pretend to date you to make Eddie jealous is not only lazy, but a waste of time.”

Richie turned off the faucet and shook his hands, deliberately getting some water on the tanned boy.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were threatened by me.”

Sam snorted.

“You’re no threat to me, Tozier. You’re not even on the same playing field.”

“Don’t you mean race track?” Richie smiled. “And is that a hint of anger I hear? What, are you not having fun anymore?”

Sam’s eyes narrowed as he stepped into Richie’s personal space.

“Do you really think you’re going to come out of this with what you want?” he sneered.

Richie simply moved even closer, his dark brown eyes blazing with determination.

“You picked the wrong kid to fuck with. I finally know what I want and I’m not flinching.”

Sam scoffed.

“I’m going to obliterate you.”

Richie smirked.

“Bring it on, Secretariat.”

 

……….

It’s been 84 years since I updated last summer, but I’m not giving up! Please review and let me know what a piece of shit I am!


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